


Things Unlearned

by shadowedrain



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Hangover, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Tennis, Waffles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22582294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowedrain/pseuds/shadowedrain
Summary: Andy isn't looking for a relationship and he certainly isn't interested in Roger...is he?Note: This is a repost from my livejournal
Relationships: John Isner/Sam Querrey, Rafael Nadal/Andy Roddick, Roger Federer/Andy Roddick
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	1. Andy lusts, Roger hurts, Mardy manages to make things worse...

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted in my livejournal back in 2010. 
> 
> AU set on a college campus. Ok, so I wanted to write something lighter, which this is, just not as light as I planned. I honestly have no idea where this came from, seeing as it was originally intended to go one way and ended up, well, I'm not really sure where. And yes, Andy comes across as a jerk in this part, but he makes up for it later, I promise. Not one of my better works, I admit, but hopefully it's not too painful to read.

‘He’s gorgeous,’ Andy thought, staring at the figure several feet away from him. He looked forward to these moments, knowing he could look even if he couldn’t touch, and look he did. Drinking in the sight in front of him, his eyes started at the man’s face, taking in the look of concentration evident from his furrowed brow to his set jaw. It was here that Andy wished those eyes would concentrate upon him, imagining what it would be like to actually have him. Oh, to lose himself deep in his eyes, running his hands through his soft locks of hair, across his muscled shoulders and down his back to his-

Suddenly a sharp nudge to his side startled him from his fantasy, making him jump in his seat, as he was jolted back to reality. ‘Right,’ his mind registered, ‘Shakespearean English.’ Sparing a glance at the front of the classroom, he noticed Professor Henman droning on about what appeared to be Hamlet, if the notes on the board were any indication. Realizing he hadn’t been caught ogling the current object of his desires (obsession and love interest, if Mardy were to be believed) he let out an internal sigh of relief. He then took one last look over to Rafael Nadal, who still had a look of concentration on his face as he madly scribbled down notes, before turning to his right where the source of the interruption came from.

“What?” he asked in a low voice so as not to draw the attention of Henman.

“You were staring again,” Mardy answered matter-of-factly. “This makes what, two months now? And that’s just during class. I’m telling you, you’re obsessed. I almost think you’re in love with the guy, or at least the idea of him.”

Andy rolled his eyes. “Thanks for stating the obvious. And I’m not obsessed, and I’m definitely not in love, with him or ‘the idea of him’. It’s not even a crush, just simple lust.”

“You were drooling,” Mardy pointed out.

“No I wasn’t,” Andy tried to deny, only to have Mardy smirk at him while pointing to the corner of his mouth. Just to prove him wrong, Andy reached up, only to find some saliva on his fingers. ‘Huh,’ he thought. “Ok, so I was drooling,” he admitted. “So what?”

Mardy sighed in frustration. “So it proves my point. You’re gaga over Rafael Nadal, mooning over him every chance you get like some lovesick puppy, and that’s not even the worst part. You can’t even bring yourself to talk to him, let alone ask him out.”

“I could ask him out if I wanted to,” Andy insisted. “I just haven’t.”

“Uh huh, I’m sure,” was the skeptic reply. “I noticed you didn’t even try to deny your feelings this time. They do say that admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.”

“I didn’t admit to anything!” Andy said a little too loudly, resulting in Henman pausing in the middle of his lecture to stare at him, every eye in the class doing likewise. Realizing his mistake too late, Andy fought desperately not to turn bright red, especially when he noticed Rafa staring at him as well.

“Something you’d like to add, Mr. Roddick?” Henman asked, making Andy even more uncomfortable.

Andy stammered out, “Uh, n-no, Sir,” hoping it would suffice and Henman would move on. Unfortunately, his professor seemed intent on making his life a living hell.

“Well then, Mr. Roddick, perhaps you could provide some insight into the manner in which Shakespeare draws upon The Spanish Tragedy,” Henman suggested, knowing full well he couldn’t.

‘The Spanish Tragedy?’ Andy thought, ‘What the hell is The Spanish Tragedy and what does it have to do with Hamlet?’ He knew he should know this, would know it if he hadn’t been daydreaming about Rafa and arguing with Mardy. Knowing he didn’t have a clue, his mind began to panic, bringing with it the realization that he would have to admit defeat to his awaiting professor. Just as he began to open his mouth to do so, a voice interrupted from the other side of the room, bringing his salvation with it.

“Professor Henman, are we even sure that Shakespeare wrote this since there is doubt concerning his other works?” asked none other than Roger Federer. “And if so, how does this compare to the way he drew on other works for his earlier plays?”

Turning his attention towards Roger, Henman paused for a moment while considering his questions. “Ah, Mr. Federer. You pose some interesting questions. Well, to begin with,” he started again, back in full lecture mode.

Seeing the class, including Rafa, return their attention back to the front of the room, Andy let out the breath he’d been holding. Not quite the impression he’d wanted to make, but he knew it could have been worse. Now he just needed to pray Rafa would forget it ever happened.

“Nice one, Andy,” Mardy whispered from next to him. “Lucky for you Roger asked that when he did.”

“Shut up,” Andy ground out, refusing to look at him. “Of course he asked. When doesn’t he?”

Although Andy didn’t see it, Mardy gave a quick sympathetic glance towards Roger before addressing his friend. “He just saved you from making an even bigger fool of yourself. The least you could do is be grateful.”

This time Andy did look at him. “You make it sound as though Mr. Perfect over there did this for me when you know as well as I do that he’s just trying to suck up to Henman. Everyone knows it.”

Mardy raised an eyebrow at how blind Andy was. Unlike Andy, he knew that Roger’s questions weren’t just another attempt to look good, but rather a means of diverting Henman’s attention away from his oblivious friend. It was obvious to Mardy that the Swiss was as crazy about Andy as Andy was about Rafa. Unfortunately, for Roger, he didn’t stand a chance, and not just because of said Spaniard. Andy was hell-bent on disliking him, though no one could figure out why. In fact, he seemed to spend more time talking about his extreme dislike of Roger than he did ogling Rafa, which was a lot.

“That’s not why he did it, but I know there’s no changing your mind on this. Besides, if he’s so perfect, why aren’t you going after him instead of Rafa? It’s not like he’s bad looking,” which was true. Roger was arguably one of the hottest students on campus, turning the heads of every woman and even some of the men. Being the best player on the school’s soccer team didn’t hurt either. Despite being straight, even Mardy could see the appeal.

Andy scoffed at the idea, just as Mardy knew he would. “He’s perfect as a Ken doll. Nothing but plastic there.”

“Oh, and Rafa has some great depth of character? You’ve never even talked to him!” Mardy hissed. “I just don’t understand how you can be so far gone over someone you’ve never been closer than ten feet to.”

“Exactly my point,” Andy replied with a grin, feeling like he had suddenly gained the upper hand. “Like I keep telling you, there are no feelings to it other than basic lust. Depth isn’t required, just looks, and Rafa oozes sex.” Thinking he had won, he returned his attention back to the front of the class where Henman had moved on to the incestuous implications between Hamlet and Gertrude. Mardy, however, was not finished.

“Now who’s being plastic? Denial isn’t just a river, you know.”

Andy’s reply was a well-aimed kick to the shins, causing Mardy to yelp in pain and Henman to return his attention back to their corner of the room.

“Mr. Fish, do you have something you wish to contribute?”

As Mardy desperately searched for something to say, Andy fought back a laugh. Revenge was very sweet indeed.

* * *

“Some friend you are,” Mardy said after class as he and Andy walked back to the dorms. “I swear I saw my life pass before my eyes.”

Andy nudged him. “Stop being so melodramatic.”

“Ooh, big word.”

Before he could say anything, Andy was interrupted by the last person he wanted to see.

“Hello Andy, Mardy,” Roger greeted, flashing Andy a smile.

“Hey Roger,” Mardy returned pleasantly, elbowing Andy when he didn’t say anything.

Begrudgingly, Andy muttered a “Hi” back, averting his eyes and refusing to acknowledge Roger further. Suddenly his face lit up as he spotted something from the corner of his eye. He turned to Mardy, who thought Andy looked too much like a convicted felon about to bolt. “I’ve got to go talk to Sam about our, uh…Chaucer papers. Very important. I’ll see ya later?” He asked in confirmation, but before Mardy could even begin to protest that Sam wasn’t taking that class, he was gone and across the quad, laughing and talking with Sam Querrey and John Isner.

Mardy groaned, wanting nothing more than to hit Andy upside the head for his blatant disregard towards Roger. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to said Swiss, who was gazing intently at Andy. While Andy may have been his best friend, Mardy failed to figure out what Roger saw in him. “Sorry about him. He can be a real ass when he wants to be.”

Realizing he was being spoken to, Roger snapped out of his musings and shook his head, a small smile on his face. “It’s fine, really. I should probably be going anyway.” He started to turn and leave, but Mardy grabbed hold of his arm, causing Roger to face him again.

“Thank you, for what you did today.” Seeing the confusion in his eyes, he added, “I know, Roger. It’s so obvious it’s hard to miss it.”

Not sure what Mardy meant, Roger just stared at him questioningly, but before anything more could be said, the pieces clicked into place. At the realization of what Mardy was saying, Roger paled, eyes widening for a moment before he expertly schooled his features. “I’m not sure what you mean –”

“You obviously do,” Mardy cut him off. “Don’t worry though; Andy’s too blind to see it and I won’t say anything.” Relief passed over Roger as Mardy continued. “Look, there’s no way Andy will ever come out and say it, or even admit it to himself, but I think deep down, he _is_ grateful for what you did in class today.”

Roger let out a bitter laugh. “I may be many things, but I’m not stupid. Andy doesn’t like me, he probably even hates me, yet you expect me to believe he would be grateful for something I did. Be honest, Mardy, what does he really think?”

This wasn’t what Mardy expected. How was he supposed to tell Roger that his best friend could never return his feelings because he really _did_ hate him, all the while falling for Rafael Nadal? There was no easy way to put this, so he internally cursed. First he cursed Roger for asking this of him, then he cursed Andy for what he was about to do to Roger, destroying any hope the young Swiss might have had, but most of all he cursed himself for ever thinking he could help in the first place.

Mardy’s hesitation seemed to be all the confirmation Roger needed. “That’s what I thought.”

The pain in Roger’s eyes and the defeat in his voice tore at Mardy’s heart, feeling guilt over having helped cause it. “I really am sorry, Roger.”

Roger nodded with a sigh. “So am I,” he replied softly, turning to leave yet again. This time Mardy made no attempt to stop him.

The last place Mardy wanted to go was back to the dorms, knowing Andy might be there, which was the last thing he needed right now. Weighing his options, he made a decision. Although he knew it was still early, he didn’t care. He was going to The Backstretch, a local bar near campus, because right now he needed a drink. Okay, so make that several drinks.

* * *

Andy was on his way to The Backstretch with Sam, John saying something about having to study for an exam or something. Not long after walking through the door, he noticed something, groaned, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow, and pointed over to the source of his frustration. There, sitting at the bar, was Roger, and to make matters worse, he was talking with Rafa. Suddenly, as though the two could read his mind, they looked over at him, Roger pointing at him while saying something to Rafa, who was now staring at him intently. Seeing the two together, Andy felt his stomach knot up, though he couldn’t figure out why. Before he had a chance to give it further thought, Sam tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the corner across the room. Sighing as he realized his night was likely over before it had even started, Andy nodded and the two made their way over.

“How long have you been here?” Andy asked a clearly intoxicated Mardy.

Mardy furrowed his brow as he tried to think. “Uh…wha?” he managed to get out after several moments, struggling to pick his glass up for another swallow.

Andy pulled the drink out of his hand and gave it to Sam so that Mardy couldn’t get it. “Okay, I think you’ve had enough. We need to get you back to the dorms. Think you can walk?”

Sam laughed. “Walk? I’ll lay you even money he can’t even stand.”

“Great,” Andy muttered, slumping into the seat next to Mardy. “Just fucking great.” He was so lost in his thoughts, trying to determine the best way to get Mardy back to the dorms, he missed the conversation Sam was having.

“Uh, Andy,” Sam said, placing his hand on Andy’s shoulder and shaking him out of his reverie. “I got us a ride.”

“How?” was all the reply he received.

Sam sighed. “It’s not important, let’s just get Mardy and get out of here.”

Andy nodded and the two helped Mardy to his feet. As they were heading for the door, he paused to look over towards the bar, noticing that Rafa and Roger were gone. Feeling the knot return to his stomach, he realized the idea of the two together filled him with dread and even, surprisingly, a pang of jealousy. He immediately chalked it up to being jealous of Roger getting what he had longed for, though as soon as he thought it he knew it felt wrong. Still, the only other alternative was – no! There was no way that was possible. He wasn’t…he didn’t…

Shaking his head, trying to clear it of the thoughts he’d just had, he wanted nothing more than to leave, but before he could, a voice called out to him, stopping him dead in his tracks. He turned around, noticing Sam roll his eyes as he did so, and was immediately frozen in place. There, standing before him, was Rafael Nadal. His eyes widened and he blinked several times, unable to believe what he was seeing. The first thought to run through his head was, ‘He really didn’t leave with Roger? Then where did Roger go?’ As soon as he thought it, he was filled with relief, which soon turned to horror at the realization he was referring to Roger as Roger, not to mention the fact he was thinking about him in the first place. His first thoughts should be of Rafa, not the man who drove him up the wall every day.

“You are Andy, no?” Rafa asked him, bringing him back to the present. Shoving all thoughts of Roger from his mind, he focused on the man in front of him. The slight look of uncertainty on the Spaniard’s face was all he needed to tell him he had already asked once before, obviously during his mental freak out.

He opened his mouth several times to say something, but he found his voice was gone. Finally, after Sam nudged him, he swallowed the lump in his throat and managed to choke out, “Y-yeah.”

Rafa shot him a one-hundred watt smile, stunning him with what he said next. “Good. I wonder if I can buy you drink, yes?”

Andy’s heart leapt into his throat as he realized he would have to reject the offer, one he doubted would be coming along again. “Wow, I would love to, but -” He took a deep breath, hating what he was about to do, when Sam interrupted him.

“He would love to. Mardy and I were just leaving.”

“But what about –” Andy protested, gesturing to Mardy, who was leaning against Sam, struggling to stay upright while mumbling incoherently.

Sam shot him a knowing look. “We’ll be fine,” he assured. “I’ll see you later, and Mardy will see you… well, sometime tomorrow when he’s cursing himself, you and humanity in general.”

“Thanks,” Andy mouthed to Sam, getting a nod in return as he helped Mardy stumble out the door. His friends gone, Andy turned back to Rafa with a smile, his confidence increasing. “So, you were saying something about a drink?”


	2. Otherwise known as Mardy's Hangover from Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy needs to work some things out with a little help from his friends.

The next morning found Andy walking through the campus center, grabbing some breakfast before checking in on Mardy. As he neared the food court, he noticed Rafa talking to some friends, mostly members of the campus soccer team, enthusiastically waving his hands as he discussed the latest match. As he observed the Spaniard, a smile came to his face, thinking just how amazing the man was. It soon disappeared, however, when he noticed someone else.

There, standing next to Rafa, was Roger, who appeared to be the center of Rafa’s attention. In Andy’s opinion, they looked far too close for comfort. Well, too close for his comfort at any rate. The jealousy he had felt the night before reappeared and he wanted nothing more than to go over and separate the two. Again, he tried to convince himself it was because he didn’t like the idea of Roger going after Rafa, the alternative still too horrific to think about.

‘Calm down before you do something you’ll regret later,’ he told himself. ‘They’re both on the soccer team, they’re just discussing soccer related things, that’s all. There’s nothing more between them.’

He was trying to determine if he should walk over or not, if Rafa would even want him to despite the night before, when said Spaniard made the decision for him.

“Andy, come over and meet my friends!” he called out, motioning him over with a bright smile.

Andy looked from Rafa to Roger, noting the Swiss’s eyes widen as he noticed him for the first time. The smile that had been on Roger’s face vanished, causing Andy to feel empty inside. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure he wanted to walk over after all, but he also knew he couldn’t disappoint Rafa.

“You know Roger, yes?” he was asked upon reaching the group, most of who were wrapped up in their own conversations.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he became incredibly nervous, something he hadn’t felt since Rafa had first spoken to him the night before. Mouth dry, unable to form an answer, he simply nodded. This must have been the wrong thing to do, because a pained look came into Roger’s eyes, which inexplicably caused Andy’s heart to leap into his throat.

‘What’s wrong with me?’ he asked himself, feeling as though he were losing control of his body while also losing his mind. ‘This isn’t right!’

“I need to be going,” Roger told Rafa, not wanting to stick around when Andy clearly didn’t want him there. He knew he shouldn’t have expected any different given their history.

If Rafa noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere, he didn’t say anything. “The library, yes? I see you later?”

Roger nodded. “Ja, later. Goodbye Rafa, Andy.” He gave the American one final glance that spoke of heartbreak, though Andy couldn’t figure out what put it there or why it was directed at him. All he knew was that he didn’t like it, feeling it didn’t suit the usually happy Swiss, and he suddenly wished he could make it go away, no longer caring what it meant. Watching him walk away, he felt the empty feeling inside his chest grow, threatening to swallow him.

“Andy?” Rafa called to him, noticing he hadn’t heard a thing he had just said. The smile disappeared as he stared at him in concern. “You are okay, no?”

Snapping out of his trance, Andy looked back to Rafa. “Huh? Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”

Rafa repeated the question, still wary as to the other man’s state. “We are going out tonight, to a club on High Street. You will join us, yes?”

“Yeah, sure,” was the absent reply, complete with a forced smile.

A real smile appeared back on Rafa’s face at the acceptance to his offer and he enthusiastically started up a conversation with Juan Carlos, trying to keep Andy included as much as possible. Under any other circumstances, Andy would have been thrilled, but right now, his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about a certain man whose heartbroken face was etched into his brain, bringing him pain as well. His brain repeated only one thing as he tried to focus on what Rafa and Juan Carlos were saying, dreading what it could mean.

‘Roger…’

* * *

Bright light peaked through the window, bringing a groan from Mardy as he awoke, head pounding and stomach churning. Slowly opening his eyes, all the while attempting to block out the sunlight as much as possible, he tried to take in his surroundings, which appeared to be a dorm room, though not the one he shared with Andy.

“Here,” a voice said, handing him some aspirin and a glass of water.

Squinting and looking up, he saw Sam. “Where am I?” he asked, taking the proffered items.

“My dorm room. You passed out on the way back, so no chance of getting your key,” was the response.

“Right…that makes sense.” He took a drink of the water as the realization hit him. “Wait, how did you find me? I don’t remember calling anyone. I don’t think…did I?”

“What do you remember?”

Mardy paused and tried really hard to think about the night before. Most of it was a blur, the headache not helping his recollection. “Not much,” he admitted. “I remember being at the bar, and I think I remember you and…Andy? Andy was there?” he asked Sam for confirmation.

Sam nodded. “We didn’t know you’d be there, we just kind of stumbled upon you. Roger was kind enough to give us a ride home.”

“Roger did? And Andy agreed with it?” Mardy asked incredulously.

“Andy doesn’t know. He didn’t come back with us and I didn’t tell him. Now back to you. You were completely trashed by the time we got there and it wasn’t even that late. Now why would that be?” he asked, knowing there was something Mardy wasn’t telling him.

“Maybe because I was drinking?” Mardy asked sarcastically, causing Sam to roll his eyes in reply.

“No shit. Mind telling me why?”

Mardy glared at him. It was far too early, at least he thought it was, and he was far too hung over to be having this discussion. “Since when do I have to have a reason for getting drunk? That’s how college works. Go out, get drunk, party like it’s 1999 and forget about it by morning.”

Raising an eyebrow, Sam chuckled. “Congratulations, you’ve just described the majority of college students in the United States. Since you were alone, something you only do when you feel like crap, that doesn’t explain you and last night.”

This earned him a sigh. “It was stupid, really. No more to tell.”

“No more you _want_ to tell.” He should have known Sam would see right through it.

“No more I _can_ tell,” he clarified. “I promised him, but it’s not mine to tell even if I hadn’t.”

Immediately Sam’s brain picked out the ‘him’ Mardy let slip out. Mind running on overdrive, he tried hard to think who this person could be. His first thought was Andy, after all, he and Mardy were practically joined at the hip and seemed to share almost everything. If someone had a secret Mardy was protecting, Andy was the most logical person. Still, what kind of secret could he have that would cause Mardy to resort to drunkenness in the fashion he had? Well, there was one thing, but Andy was still in denial, so it was unlikely. Hitting a dead end, his musings were interrupted as Mardy made a mad dash to the bathroom, nausea finally catching up to him.

Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, he made a phone call. “Hey, breakfast’s out unless you can track down Roddick.”

John laughed. “Still babysitting Fishy, I see. Ever find out what was bothering him?”

Sam sighed. “I don’t know. Something about promising someone he wouldn’t tell whatever it was they told him. He wouldn’t tell me what, but he did let it slip that the someone in question is a ‘he’. I thought maybe it was Andy, but if last night is anything to go by, he doesn’t appear to be as affected by this the way Mardy is, so maybe not.” He paused for a moment, hearing nothing but silence on the other end. “I can hear the wheels in your brain turning through the phone. What’s your theory?”

“Hmm… I don’t think it _is_ Andy, but I have a good idea who it could be.” There was amusement in his voice as he left the name unsaid, wanting to draw the moment out, knowing how it would irritate Sam.

“Mind sharing with the rest of the class?” was the annoyed response.

John gave in, a smile lightening his face, which Sam could detect in his voice even though he couldn’t see it through the phone. “Roger,” was the simple reply, earning him a scoff from Sam.

“Roger, as in Roger Federer?” Sam asked for clarification, positive he had either heard wrong or it was some other Roger.

“The very same.”

If Sam could have reached through the phone, he would have strangled John. “You do realize I’m going to kill you the next time I see you, right? I swear to God, talking to you is like pulling teeth.”

“It’s not nice to swear,” John chastised. “Besides, I know you’d miss me if I were gone.”

“Are you going to tell me or not? Because Mardy’s not going to stay in the bathroom forever and I can just hang up right now,” Sam threatened.

John sighed. “Fine, but you really need to lighten up. Think back to yesterday, before this whole thing started. You were telling me about how Djokovic practically burned down the chemistry lab; I still don’t know how he managed to get in there after last time, and then Andy came over, complaining about Roger again or ‘Mr. Perfect as he calls him.” Here he paused and Sam suspected he was rolling his eyes over Andy’s antics. “Anyway, he kept pointing at Roger, who happened to be across the quad talking to…” He trailed off as he waited for Sam to catch up.

“Mardy,” Sam groaned, mentally slapping himself and wondering how he could be so blind. “And it was a few hours later that we found him completely wasted. How did I miss that?”

“That’s what I’m wondering,” John said sarcastically.

Sam was about to respond when he heard the toilet flush and the faucet turn on. “I gotta go. Mardy’s about to come back.”

“Yeah, I get it. Trying to get rid of me, but it’s cool.”

“Funny,” Sam said dryly. “But seriously, try to find Roddick and have him collect his Fish?”

John’s answer was immediate and determined. “Oh, I’ll find him. We have a breakfast date and I want waffles.”

For the first time that morning, Sam’s mood lightened considerably. “You do that and I’ll buy.”

“Hey, how can a guy turn down an offer like that? See you in an hour.”

Before Sam could question how John planned to locate Andy on a college campus in an hour, especially when the man wasn’t answering his phone, John hung up and Mardy returned looking like death warmed over.

“Who were you talking to?” Mardy asked, slowly making his way back to the futon, sounding better even though he didn’t look it.

Sam shrugged. “No one,” which Mardy suspected meant John. “Now it’s my turn. What could Roger have told you that was so bad it sent you on a binge?”

At the mention of Roger’s name, Mardy became ashen. Well, more so than he was before. “How do you know this involves Roger?”

“I’m not an idiot, Mardy.” At Mardy’s look of disbelief, Sam amended his statement. “Okay, so John’s not an idiot. What did Roger tell you?”

Mardy appeared conflicted for a moment, sighing. “I already told you, I can’t say.”

“Look, if it’s about the fact that he’s in love with Andy, I already know. Hell, I think half the campus knows. We’d have to be blind not to, which Andy obviously is.”

Knowing what Sam was saying was true, especially after having had the same conversation with Roger the day before, Mardy conceded defeat. “Okay, so it is. Well, sort of. I stupidly tried to thank him for something he did for Andy, who, dick that he is, blew him off, but I only made things worse. I felt like shit for doing that to him, so I decided to hit the bar early. I wasn’t planning to drink that much, but I couldn’t forget that face. You should have seen him when I unintentionally confirmed what he already knew; Andy would as soon drive nails through his eyes as talk to him, he hates him that much.”

“You’re kidding, right?” When Mardy did nothing more than stare at him in confusion, he continued. “I think Andy likes Roger a lot more than he’s letting on.”

“Okay, I don’t know what drugs you’re doing, but I want some. I’m the guy’s best friend, if anyone knows him, it’s me,” Mardy said defensively. “All he ever does is complain about Roger. It’s always ‘Mr. Perfect this’ and ‘Mr. Perfect that’ and…”

Sam smirked as he could see the light bulbs turn on in Mardy’s head.

“Fuck, how could I be so stupid?!” he cursed. “He’s like a schoolboy pulling pigtails. He likes Roger!”

“That pretty much sums it up,” Sam confirmed.

Something else clicked as well. “And he doesn’t even know it, does he?”

“Not a clue.”

Mardy sighed. “Okay, so Roger is in love with him, which everyone on the planet minus Andy knows, and he, at the very least, has a crush in return, which he also doesn’t know. It’s official; my best friend’s an idiot.”

“Well, yeah, but I didn’t want to say it,” Sam said in mock sympathy.

“Shut the fuck up. So I know, you know, and I’m assuming John knows, since he’s probably the one that told you,” Mardy said knowingly, bringing a frown to Sam’s face. “What? We both know he’s the brains.”

The smile returned as he replied, “That’s more than you two have, remember? You’re stupid and you’re best friend’s an idiot. Your words, not mine.”

“Oh, just-”

“’Shut the fuck up’, I know,” he finished for him.

Mardy groaned. “I’m still too hung over for this shit. Where is he, anyway?”

“Do you mean John or Andy? I didn’t take ‘Mind Reading 101’ you know.”

“Whichever. Either, both, doesn’t matter,” Mardy answered vaguely, the nausea returning again as his head pounded louder each time he attempted to concentrate on the conversation at hand.

Sam looked contemplative for a moment, noticing Mardy’s worsening condition. “Well, John’s out looking for Andy as we speak.”

Mardy nodded, something he soon realized was a mistake, putting his head in his hands. “Great. Just great.”

Just then Sam’s phone rang, John’s name showing on the screen. “Hey, you find him?” he asked by way of greeting.

“No ‘Hi, how are you?’” John teased before answering Sam’s question, knowing his patience was likely wearing thin. “Yeah, it was pretty easy, really. He was down at the campus center with Rafa. Seems they’ve hit it off pretty well.”

That got Sam’s attention. “You found him? Is he coming?”

John laughed, hearing the eagerness in Sam’s voice. “He left five minutes ago, so he should be there shortly.”

“Thank God,” Sam muttered. “I love Mardy, just not hung over.”

“He’s gotta be feeling pretty bad right now, if last night was anything to go by, and knowing you, you’ve probably been grilling him since he woke up. Give the guy a break,” John told him, always the voice of reason, taking the silence on the other end as reluctant agreement. “Don’t forget, you owe me waffles!” he suddenly added, earning a chuckle from Sam. “Waffle House, fifteen minutes, ‘kay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Sam agreed. Seeing Mardy look up at him with a questioning stare, he turned towards him. “Andy’s on his way over,” he related, adding, “Oh, and John wants waffles.”

Mardy’s face suddenly went green. “Waff-” and like that he was across the room again, the bathroom door slamming shut.

“What was that?” John asked, having heard the door slam. “Did you drop your phone again?”

Sam eyed the bathroom door for a moment. “No. But I don’t think Mardy will be joining us.”

John sighed, knowing what Sam had done, but there was amusement in his voice. “You’re evil. Remind me to avoid you like the plague the next time I’m hung over.”

“Bye, John,” Sam said with a laugh, ending the call before he could hear the reply. Then, a thought struck him. “Andy’s going to kill me.”

* * *

Having collected Mardy, and given Sam an earful for good measure, Andy was in the dorms, throwing a tennis ball against the wall as he thought about the way things were going with Rafa. Last night they had had a fun night of drinking and talking, and this morning the Spaniard had tried to include him with his teammates. He was everything he had hoped for; not only was he hot, something Andy had known since he first laid eyes on him, but he was charming as well. He seemed to have a good sense of humor, laughing at Andy’s wit while drawing laughter from Andy in turn. He also seemed genuinely interested in what Andy had to say, listening to him retell countless stories. Overall, he was nothing short of perfect. Yet, despite it all, something seemed off, though Andy couldn’t put his finger on what that something was.

Of course, there was also the small fact that the entire time he was with Rafa, he found his mind wandering back to Roger, bringing forth a myriad of feelings, none of which were the hatred he kept telling himself he should feel. Some part of him knew that if he really did hate him, he shouldn’t have to constantly remind himself that was the case, nor should he be dwelling on the Swiss when he was finally with the one man he had literally been drooling over for months.

Groaning at the direction his brain had effortlessly returned to, not ready to give the topic any further thought, he forced himself to think back the situation with Rafa.

‘Why is this bothering me?’ he asked himself. ‘I’m not looking for anything meaningful like a relationship…am I?’ Then, as the realization hit him, his eyes widened. “Oh god, I am, aren’t I?” he whispered, finding that saying it made it all the more real. He threw the ball against the wall extra hard for good measure.

“For the love of God and all things holy, would you stop that?” Mardy asked, messaging his temples as he emerged from the bathroom.

Andy sighed, flinging the ball across the room. “Sure.”

Mardy took a seat next to Andy. “You’ve been moping around ever since we got back. Look, you really don’t have to hang around here with me. I can’t be much fun right now. Just go out or something.”

“Oh come on, you’re lots of fun,” Andy tried, though both knew it wasn’t true. At the skeptical look Mardy gave him, he dropped the act. “Okay, so maybe I just feel like staying here.”

“Uh huh, like I’m going to buy that. You better tell me what’s wrong, because I may feel like shit but don’t think I won’t kick your ass.” Seeing Andy roll his eyes, he added, “Or at least vomit on you. Now are you going to tell me?”

“You’re hung over. How are we even having this conversation? You should be lying in a dark room somewhere, feeling half-dead and cursing the universe, not interrogating me,” Andy insisted, waving his hands wildly as he talked.

Mardy rubbed his face. “I woke up to the Spanish Inquisition, now it’s my turn.”

“Of course it is,” Andy muttered. “Fuck my life.” Not caring whether Mardy heard or not, he continued. “Fine, you were right. I wanted more from Rafa than just sex. Happy?”

“Okay…” Mardy drew out, not getting what the problem was. “And this makes you unhappy because?”

“Because I realized I don’t want Rafa!” Andy all but shouted, eyes widening at the truth in what he had said.

Mardy winced for a moment, his head not able to take the volume increase. Once what Andy had said sunk in, he blinked his eyes for a moment, making sure he had heard correctly. “Let me see if I have this straight. You just realized you wanted Rafa but you don’t want Rafa? Maybe it’s this headache or maybe it’s because I haven’t mastered Andy-speak as well as I thought, but I’m confused. Do you or don’t you want him?”

Andy sighed, pausing a moment as he considered his answer. “I thought I did, though just for sex, and then I realized I wanted more than that. But now… Now I don’t want that anymore. Well, I do, just not with him.”

“Andy Roddick admitting he wants a legitimate relationship? I think Hell just froze over.”

“I’m serious here,” Andy said, elbowing Mardy. “I think I want something meaningful.”

Although he knew it before Andy did, Mardy hadn’t expected him to admit it to himself, let alone anyone else. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

“Last night should have been perfect, and in a way, it was. Rafa was perfect, everything I thought he’d be. We really seemed to hit it off, talking about everything and nothing, something that continued this morning when he introduced me to his friends. Still… I couldn’t help but think there was something missing. It didn’t feel real, like maybe it was too perfect, and there was something else...” He trailed off here, lost in his thoughts of the night before, but was soon brought back to the present by Mardy.

“Be careful, you’re getting all sappy on me,” he teased, drawing a glare from Andy, but soon switched gears as something sank in. “Whoa, wait a minute. You actually talked to him?” Mardy asked incredulously. “You can’t even go within ten feet of the man without getting flustered, but from what you’ve described, you two are already becoming close.”

Andy shook his head. “I know, but I didn’t approach him. He approached me, asked if he could buy me a drink. Imagine my surprise, considering he’s never noticed me before.”

“He initiated it, just like that? Wow, I can’t believe I missed that.”

“You were drunk,” Andy pointed out.

Mardy groaned. “I miss everything. You, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer,” he ticked off. “Next you’ll tell me Sam snuck off to a crack house. I swear to God, I’m never drinking again.”

Out of everything Mardy had just said, Andy honed in on one thing. “What about Roger?”

“What?” was the reply, so caught in his ramblings it took Mardy’s brain a moment to catch up. Even then, he missed Andy’s use of ‘Roger’ over his oft-used ‘Mr. Perfect’. “Oh, that. It was nothing.”

Andy shook his head furiously. “No, it wasn’t nothing. What did he do?” When Mardy didn’t answer, Andy pushed again. “What. Did. He. Do.” he asked again, emphasizing each word. “You said his name, now tell me what he did.”

Mardy was mentally kicking himself, but he knew once Andy latched onto something he wouldn’t leave it alone. “He kindly gave Sam and me a ride back last night while you were getting hit on by a certain someone.” When Andy went to say something, Mardy cut him off. “Don’t even say it. I know what you’re thinking, what you’re dying to say, but don’t. You don’t even have a clue.”

“Then enlighten me,” he demanded.

“You want to know? Fine. You owe him so damn much, but you don’t see it.” Andy tried to protest but Mardy continued. “No, everything he does, it’s for you! I can guarantee what he did last night, nice as it was, wasn’t for my benefit. Don’t get me wrong, Roger’s a nice guy, but I can almost bet you he did it because I’m ‘Andy’s best friend’, the guy he wished would notice him, not because I’m ‘Mardy, a friend he’s trying to help out’.”

Furrowing his eyebrow, anger dissipating, Andy took a deep, shaky breath before asking the question he was almost afraid to hear the answer to. “What are you saying?”

“I think you know what I’m saying. For once in your life, open your damn eyes and see what’s staring you right in the face. Everyone can see it but you, but you better see it soon because he’s not going to wait around forever.” Mardy looked at Andy as his friend started connecting the dots. He expected a lot of things, just not the reaction he actually got.

“Even when I was with Rafa last night, all day today, all I could think about… him,” Andy said, more to himself than anything else. 

Although he knew Andy had feelings for Roger, considering his enlightening conversation with Sam, it didn’t prevent the shock he felt at hearing this admission. Still, Andy hadn’t quite gotten the last piece of the puzzle in place. “Did you ever think that maybe there was a reason something felt off with Nadal? Or why you can’t stop thinking about someone else?”

That was all it took for the final piece to fall, Andy’s eyes widening with the revelation of what it all meant. His obsession with Roger, constantly talking about him and seeking him out, despite claims that he hated him; the jealousy he felt at seeing him with Rafa; his inability to think of anyone else, even when on a date with the object of his desire; it all added up to one thing. “I’m in love with Roger fucking Federer… How the hell did this happen?!”

“Now he gets it,” Mardy muttered. “Believe me, it took me by surprise as well.”

“I thought you said I was in love with Nadal,” he accused. “In fact, that’s all I heard out of you yesterday.”

Mardy sighed. “That’s because I thought you were. You fooled almost everyone, including me…including yourself. Subconsciously, I think you knew what you wanted all along, you just couldn’t admit it and went after Rafa instead.”

“Let me guess, Isner figured it out,” he said exasperated, getting a nod in affirmation. “Wonderful. I’m the last one to figure out my own nonexistent love life.”

“Not the last one. There’s still at least one other person out there who doesn’t know.”

Andy groaned. “God, he must hate me. What did he ever see in me?”

“That’s what we’re all trying to figure out,” Mardy replied wryly. “As to hating you, you’d be surprised.”

Suddenly Andy jumped up from his spot on the couch, the sudden motion causing Mardy to groan as his body protested the jolt. “I’ve got to go talk to him, straighten this out…apologize,” he softly added the last part. Just as he was about to bolt out of the room he remembered Mardy. “You gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be better after you leave. Just go,” he managed to get out, doubled over, noticing that was all it took for Andy to take off. “Thank God,” he said to the empty, quiet room. “Maybe now things can settle down around here.” As an afterthought he added, “Next time one of them gets drunk, I’m putting them through hell.”


	3. Why would you want love in an elevator when you could have love in a Waffle House?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Andy does some serious groveling, John orders some serious waffles, and Sam gets the bill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, final part. If you made it this far, you have my eternal gratitude. Any kudos or comments are very appreciated!

Walking into the campus center where just an hour earlier he had been relaxing with Rafa, Andy now found himself searching in frustration. When he didn’t want anything to do with Roger, it seemed like he couldn’t get rid of him. Everywhere he turned, there he was, offering him what he could now see was a hopeful smile. Really, how could he have been so blind? Mardy was right, it really was staring him right in the face the whole time. But now that he was searching for him, it was as though the man had dropped off the face of creation. Where was Roger when he needed him?

Taking a careful look around to make sure he didn’t miss him, he spotted someone else. ‘May as well get this over with now,’ he thought, making his way over to Rafa.

“Hi Andy,” Rafa greeted him with a grin as he turned away from the conversation he was having with his friends. “You are back. Mardy is okay, yes?”

Andy nodded absently. “Yeah, he’s fine. Listen I need to talk to you.”

“Sure,” Rafa agreed, taking a moment to tell his friends he was leaving before following Andy over to a secluded corner. “What do you need?”

Taking a breath, not looking forward to what he was about to do to the man in front of him, rejecting someone was never easy, he also knew he needed to if he was to have any chance with Roger. “Look, I know I said I’d go out with you tonight, but I can’t.”

“That’s fine,” he was assured. “We can go another time. When you want to go, we go.”

‘He’s just so damn nice, which makes this even harder,’ Andy thought, knowing the next words out of his mouth would kill the smile on Rafa’s face. “That’s the thing…I can’t go at all.” Noticing the questioning glance, he continued. “I have to be honest with you. I really like you, you’re an amazing person who deserves someone great, but I can’t be that for you.”

The Spaniard appeared confused. “You’re breaking up with me? We only have one date.”

“I know,” Andy said sympathetically, “this has to be one of the shortest relationships ever. Believe me, I hate doing this to you. Yesterday I wanted this so badly, I would have killed for it. Today… I realized that for months now I wanted someone else, someone I thought I couldn’t have. For whatever reason, I unknowingly was using you as a substitute, and for that, I’m sorry. I really did want this, wanted you, but that was before my best friend beat some sense into me. All this time I’ve been lying to myself. Now I see that this isn’t fair to you, me or him, and I want to end it before I hurt anyone further.” He gave Rafa an apologetic look as he waited for his reaction.

It took the man several moments to gather his thoughts, considering what he wanted to say. Finally, as Andy bit his lip in anticipation, he replied. “I understand,” he said sympathetically. “It is serious, no?”

Andy nodded enthusiastically, glad Rafa was taking this so well. “Yes, very. I didn’t realize until today just how much he means to me, but I now know I’m madly in love with the guy and I really hope he still feels the same way.” He paused for a moment before softly adding, “I don’t know what I’ll do if Roger…if he doesn’t.”

“Roger?” Rafa asked in surprise, finally speaking. “You are in love with Roger Federer?”

“I know,” Andy said with a groan, reminding himself yet again how stupid he’d been, “it’s taken everyone by surprise, no one more than me.”

Rafa’s denial was quick. “No, not that. Well, yes that, but he talked to me last night, at the bar.” Here Andy nodded his head for him to continue, already knowing this. “He tell me about how great you are, that I should buy you a drink, get to know you…” Realization dawned on him. “He does not know you love him, no?”

“No,” he confirmed. “He thinks – wait a minute, Roger was extolling my virtues?” He wanted to make sure he was hearing this correctly, positive he couldn’t be. “And he encouraged you to buy me a drink, maybe ask me out?”

The affirmative nod was all that was needed to stun him into silence. Despite being in love with Andy, Roger was trying to help him get together with Rafa, knowing how much he liked the Spaniard, or at least thought he did? Wow… He added this to the growing list of things Roger had done for him that he was just now discovering. If there was ever any doubt he didn’t deserve Roger before, this eliminated it. He knew it also made his road to redemption that much more difficult. If he managed to get through this, he was thanking every deity he could think of, because this would require nothing short of a miracle.

Finding his voice again, he thanked Rafa. “I appreciate you telling me this, and for being so great about everything. Again, I really am sorry things worked out like this.”

Rafa shook his head. “No, I no meet you otherwise. We still be friends, yes?”

“Definitely,” Andy said with a smile.

“Good,” was the reply, a bright smile lighting up his face as well, adding, “Roger is a very lucky man.”

This earned Rafa a firm denial. “No, not at all. I’m the lucky one,” he said before leaving, and he meant it wholeheartedly.

* * *

Over at the Waffle House, John was wolfing down another plate of waffles, his fourth, as Sam watched on in amazement.

“It’s like a train crash; I feel like I shouldn’t be watching, yet I can’t look away. Where do you find room to put those, a wooden leg?”

John paused, the fork on the way to his mouth, and looked up from his plate. “Hey now, when you offered to buy you didn’t set a limit on how many I could have.”

Sam held up his hands in mock defense. “I’m not complaining, just making an observation.”

“Good,” John said with a grin, diving back into his food.

Shaking his head with a smile, Sam noticed something. “Hey,” he said, jabbing John to get his attention off the plate in front of him, “isn’t that Roger over there?” He pointed two booths over where a man was sitting by himself, staring out the window.

John looked over to where Sam was pointing. Realizing it was, he dropped his fork and sent a brief text before bolting from the booth, leaving Sam with nothing more than a quick, “Order some more waffles!”

“Did he ever think maybe he wants to be left alone?” Sam asked the empty place across from him with a sigh. Asking the server for another round of waffles, he returned his attention to his friend, who was now talking animatedly to Roger. After several minutes, and what appeared to be protests by Roger regarding whatever John was saying, the two made their way back towards Sam.

“Roger’s decided to join us,” John said as he took a seat next to Sam, grabbing his plate from the spot Roger was now occupying before calling out to their server, “Two more plates of waffles!”

Sam stared at him in disbelief. “But I just ordered you more and you haven’t even finished those!” he protested, pointing at the syrup-drenched food in front of John.

John shook his head, rolling his eyes. “They’re not for me. One’s for Roger.”

“I’m really not hungry,” the man in question protested, something Sam could see was true as he noted the sheer misery on his face. “But thank you.”

“You’re really missing out,” John said, emphasizing his point by taking another bite, syrup running down his mouth. “Besides, I already ordered and Sam’s paying, so you may as well take them.”

Sam was annoyed with John, both for pushing Roger and for the waffles, but he knew there was no point arguing with him. “Okay, you said one’s for Roger, who’s the other one for? I know you didn’t order them for me.”

“Him,” John replied simply, gesturing towards the door that had just opened, admitting one Andy Roddick. “Andy, over here!”

Knowing this wasn’t just a coincidence, Sam eyed him suspiciously. “How did you know he was coming?”

“I invited him.” Seeing the exasperation on Sam’s face at his vague answers, he elaborated. “Look, there’s this thing called a cell phone that has the ability to send these things called text–”

“I get it,” Sam cut him off, getting a shrug in return.

By this point, Andy had made his way to their booth. “Hey,” he said softly, looking right at Roger.

Thinking about their previous encounters, Roger was sure Andy couldn’t be speaking to him, deciding it must be his imagination. “I should go,” he said, looking at John and Sam as he started to get out of the booth.

“No!” Andy immediately burst out, not wanting him to leave now that he’d found him. “Don’t go; I want to talk to you.”

“You want to talk to me?” Roger asked, making sure he had heard correctly. “You’re sure?”

Andy nodded in response as Sam pushed John out of the booth. “You can sit here,” he told Andy. “We were just leaving before John decided to buy the whole restaurant a round of waffles on me.”

“What about my waffles?” John asked, giving a longing look at his plate as Sam pulled him towards the register to pay the bill.

“We’ll get you some to go,” Sam assured.

Taking the recently vacated seat across from Roger, Andy watched as the two left. “What was that about?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, turning his attention back to Andy.

Silence and tension hung between the two as neither knew what to say. The nerves Andy felt just sitting across from Roger were far worse than anything he had experienced with Rafa. Actually, he couldn’t remember being this nervous in his entire life. Still, he knew he would have to be the one to make the first move. Given all of the times he had inadvertently rejected Roger, Andy couldn’t fault him for being wary.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said. Seeing the confusion on Roger’s face, he added, “for everything. I’ve treated you like shit since day one and I can see now that you didn’t deserve that. You didn’t deserve any of the crap I put you through; just like I didn’t deserve the infinite kindness you’ve shown me. I realize now that what you did in English yesterday was for my benefit, and I know you were the one who gave Mardy a ride back last night. I can tell you I’m sorry from now until doomsday, and God am I ever, but it still won’t make up for what I’ve done. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain I put you through, but I can only hope you can forgive me despite it all, even though I know I don’t deserve it. If I were you, I’d hate me right now. _I_ hate me right now.”

“Mardy told you,” was all that Roger said, more to himself than to Andy, still reeling from what he’d heard.

Andy sighed, having hoped for more, even a confirmation that he hated the American. “Mardy made me wake up and see that I was blind. Ever since we met, I’ve been determined to hate you.” Here Roger winced, pained at the reminder even though he knew it to be true, something that caused Andy’s heart to wrench. “You were always the guy who could do no wrong; perfect student, perfect athlete, you even had the perfect looks to match.” Roger gave a bitter laugh, but Andy kept talking. “I had to convince myself that all of that perfection couldn’t be real, was plastic even. There had to be something about you that wasn’t perfect, so I deluded myself into thinking you were a self-absorbed jerk. I can see now that the only jerk here was me.”

Roger just sat there in silence, staring blankly at Andy, not giving anything away.

“Please say something,” Andy begged. “Even if it’s to tell me you hate my guts and never want to see me again. I just can’t take the silence, not from you.”

Taking a deep breath, Roger finally spoke. “What do you want me to say? That it’s okay you broke my heart? That it’s okay I had to watch you chase after Nadal, knowing I never stood I chance, because you hated me no matter how hard I tried? You hated me for being perfect, but I obviously wasn’t perfect enough if I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Andy closed his eyes, seeing that his past mistakes had cost him any chance of being with Roger. He desperately wished he could go back and do things differently, the pain he felt was so unbearable. Was this what he had put Roger through? Oh, God. “I understand.” And he did. He opened his eyes and the tears came out, knowing it must make him look as weak and broken as he felt, but unable to care anymore. “I fucked this up and I’ll regret that until the day I die. Just know this, you were good enough for me, I was just too blind to see it. You were too good, actually, and I think I was afraid I couldn’t be enough for you.”

Seeing the confusion on Roger’s face, he continued. “Don’t you see? In some twisted, fucked up way, I was protecting myself by rejecting you before you could reject me. I couldn’t let myself fall for you and risk getting hurt, but all I managed to do was hurt both of us in the process. I was the one who failed here and I’m sorry I took you down with me.” He gave a bitter laugh. “God, ‘sorry’ seems to be all I can say, and yet it’s nowhere near enough. Maybe it would be better if I left.” He went to stand when Roger placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“What are you saying?” Roger asked, having a good idea but wanting to be sure, before he risked his heart any further.

He only had one chance at this and he had to make it count, praying to every deity that he didn’t blow this. “I realized something today, something my heart knew some time ago. All that time I spent trying to find your flaws only served to show me how real you are. You have an amazing personality to go along with everything else. There really is nothing plastic about you and what you see is what you get. I understand now why everyone loves you because somewhere along the way I saw you, really saw you. Do you know what my biggest revelation was?”

The answer he got wasn’t what he was expecting. “I’m not perfect. I have my flaws,” Roger said, having a good idea what it was but wanting to offer him an out.

Andy nodded his head, knowing what he was doing. “Yeah, you do, believe me; I did find them while I was looking.”

Realizing Andy didn’t want an out, Roger relaxed a little and smiled, actually smiled, something Andy took as a good sign. “Care to tell me what they are?”

“You’re human, Roger. You make mistakes like the rest of us, even though you appear superhuman at times. You’ve failed on the soccer field, though not often, gotten questions wrong on your tests, and struggled with what life has to throw at you like the rest of us. You have the tendency to obsess over things, especially details, and you are aware of your own abilities to the point you have been known to let your ego go unchecked. Oh, and don’t think I haven’t noticed the times you’ve lost your temper.”

Not wanting to go on too long, afraid Roger would think he could see only flaws, he decided to add in one more and hope for the best, all the while expecting the worst. “I could go on all day, but I think your biggest flaw is me. You could have anyone you wanted, anyone at all, and yet you somehow want me, the very person who despised you. Loving me, when you deserve so much more, that would have to be your biggest flaw. You made the wrong choice.”

Roger shook his head, and based upon what he said next, he must have found what he was looking for in Andy’s response. “I didn’t, you just proved that. I think I already know, but tell me anyway. This big revelation of yours, what was it?”

“It was you, Roger,” he said, confidence growing. “It was the realization that all this time it was you I wanted. Not Rafa, not anyone else, but just you, flaws, perfection and all.”

“Say it,” Roger told him. “I need to hear you say it.”

Andy looked him straight in the eyes as he said the words Roger had always hoped to hear. “I love you Roger. I think deep down, I always have, I was just being an idiot about it.”

Hearing the words he had longed for, but had determined he would never hear, everything seemed to stop for Roger. Never had he felt the happiness he was feeling now, his heart threatening to burst from sheer joy, a far cry from the despair he had felt earlier. Still, there was one more thing he needed cleared up before he could completely give himself to Andy.

“What about Rafa?”

This took Andy by surprise. “What about him?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“I don’t want to be your second choice in all of this.”

Andy sighed. “What will it take to get through to you? You’re not. God, you’re not at all. I talked to him on the way here, when I was looking for you, and he told me what you did, how you were the reason he talked to me in the first place. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like, convincing him to ask me out, all the while wishing it were you? I couldn’t do it. Gods, it hurts just to think about it, even thinking about you doing it for me…” He took a deep breath here, exhaling and staring Roger in the eyes. “He wanted to go out again, tonight, but I turned him down. Told him there was someone else who I was madly in love with and how I hoped he felt the same way. Please tell me you do.”

Roger’s head was swimming with everything Andy had just told him, but when it finally registered, he knew there was only one way he could possibly respond. “Does this answer your question?” he asked, leaning across the table and giving Andy a kiss that was eagerly returned.

Andy ran his fingers through Roger’s hair with one hand as he grabbed hold of his shirt with the other, thinking about how this beat every fantasy he’d ever had. Just touching the other man sent jolts through his body. Wanting to deepen the kiss, he pressed his tongue against Roger’s lips, eliciting a moan from the Swiss. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Andy invaded the other’s mouth, immediately locating and engaging Roger’s tongue, the two battling for dominance.

He found kissing Roger was better than anything he had imagined, every fiber of his being lit up, telling him that this was right and that Roger was the only one he should ever kiss from this moment on. He understood now why being with Rafa felt off and why something was missing. That something was actually someone, the same someone he was currently involved with in a booth at a waffle restaurant. As clichéd as it sounded, Roger completed Andy, making him feel whole. At that moment, he didn’t care how clichéd or sappy any of it was, he just didn’t want it to end.

As the two broke off the kiss, both needing air, Andy nodded his head in response to Roger’s question, needing a minute to get his breath. “Yeah,” he finally got out. “That was…”

“Ja,” Roger agreed, “it was. Does this mean we’re…” he trailed off, not sure what to call them.

“Dating? Boyfriends? Lovers? All of the above?” Seeing Roger slowly nod his head, Andy swallowed. “Yeah, it’s what I want… That is, if you do?” he asked hopefully.

“It is,” Roger said, earning a one hundred watt smile from Andy, who took his hand and intertwined it with his own, getting a smile in return.

“Good,” Andy said, finally feeling he was where he was meant to be.

* * *

“They’re finally together, thank God.”

“Move over so I can see,” John told Sam, the two watching the scene unfold from the parking lot outside of the Waffle House.

“You can see from where you are,” Sam told him, adding, “Eat your waffles.”

John gave a brief glance to the container before turning his attention back to the newly formed couple inside. “Eh, they’re cold… Roger and Andy are kind of cute together, aren’t they?”

Sam nodded his head in agreement when a thought suddenly struck him. “Why do I get the feeling you planned all of this?” he asked, suspicion evident in his voice.

“Maybe…” John trailed off, a mischievous glint in his eyes as Sam shook his head.

The two sat in silence for a while as Sam worked up the courage for what he was about to do next. “Um, would you, well, want to go out sometime? Dinner maybe?”

John’s face gave nothing away as he thought it over for a moment. “You mean like a date, right?”

“Yeah,” Sam confirmed, wondering if this was such a good idea after all.

A grin broke out on John’s face as he replied, “Sure. This one left something to be desired, you know.”

“Yeah, I-” Suddenly shock appeared on Sam’s face as John’s words registered. “Wait a minute… ‘This one’? As in we’re already on a date?”

John rolled his eyes in exasperation. “I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out. You’re as bad as Roddick, you know that? You asked me out for breakfast, offering to pay. That kind of constitutes a date. I swear to God, my boyfriend’s an idiot.”

“Boyfriend…” Sam said, testing the word out and deciding he liked it, very much so. “Okay, but let’s get one thing straight. Next time we go on a date, you don’t get to invite Roger and Andy to tag along so you can work out their love life for them. No Fish, or anyone else, either. Oh, and no ordering rounds of food for everyone at my expense.”

“That’s several things,” John pointed out, immediately adding, “But that’s fine with me. Now what do you say we get out of here? There’s nothing romantically appealing about a Waffle House parking lot.”

Sam nodded his head, but as they neared the car, a thought struck him. Grabbing John by the shoulder, he turned him around, and before the man could utter a word, pinned him to the car and kissed him.

Shocked by Sam’s actions, he remained motionless for a moment, brain trying to catch up. Once it did, he responded in earnest, getting a moan from Sam. When the need for air became too much, they broke apart, foreheads touching, eyes closed.

“I stand corrected,” John said softly, surprised Sam had it in him. “And they say romance is dead.”

Sam simply raised an eyebrow as he pulled away and walked towards the driver’s side of the car, John calling after him.

“I hear Murray has a thing for Nadal, and seeing as the guy’s now single, I thought we could –”

“No,” Sam cut him off, getting into the car and closing the door before John could say anything else. Noticing him just stand there, Sam rolled down the window, calling out, “We have a lot of lost time to make up for. You getting in or not?”

John’s face lit up at the possibilities as he opened the passenger side door before Sam could leave him there. As they drove off, he took out his phone to let Mardy know that everything had worked out.

“Did I just see that?” Roger asked, he and Andy having walked out the door just in time to witness Sam kissing John, completely unnoticed by either man in their hurry to leave.

Andy nodded dumbly, following Roger to his car. “I saw it, but I can’t believe it. I thought those two were never going to get together.”

“They probably said the same thing about us,” Roger said with a smirk, getting a sigh from Andy.

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

Roger shook his head with a laugh. “No, but I still love you.”

Thinking he would never tire of hearing that, Andy gave Roger a goofy grin, which suddenly disappeared when he realized something. “I have to tell Mardy. He’s going to be so pissed he missed this,” he said, grabbing his phone.

“They’ve been dancing around each other for a long time,” Roger admitted. “I’m surprised you knew about it, though.”

“Hey,” Andy said after sending the text, pretending to be affronted, “I may be blind, but I’m not stupid.”

He received a skeptical glance as Roger remembered Andy’s words from earlier, followed by, “Uh huh.”

“I’m not!” Andy tried to protest, but was quickly cut off with a kiss, completely forgetting what he was going to say. He groaned at the loss when Roger pulled back, slightly dazed. “Okay, you can call me whatever you want, just do that again.”

Roger gladly complied.


End file.
